Fluid-pressure heat-engine.



' wags.

" J. MOLAS.

FLUIDPRESSURE HEAT ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1909.

Patented Oct. 18,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. Moms.

FLUID PRESSURE HEAT ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' 973 ,289 Patented 001;. 18,1910.

. up l "i i SPATENT OFFICE. I

JEAN MOLAS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

FLUID-PRESSURE HEAT-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

Application filed January 29,}909. Serial No. 475,037.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEAN Moms, a subject of the King of Great Britain,and resident of 94 Hewett road, Harringay, London, N., England,engineer, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fluid-.Pressure Heat-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the generation and utilization of motive powerproduced from the combustion of fuel, the main object of the inventionbeing to obtain from the combustion of the fuel the maximum practicableefficiency by providing means for insuring the utilization (as far aspracticable) of all the heat units by their conversion into useful work.

"According to the present invention the fuel (preferably in the form ofvaporized oil or gas) is burned under pressure in a closed chamberimmersed in a reservoir of the elastic fluid which constitutes theultimate source of motive power, said chamber being constituted by orconnected with the cylinder or working chamber of an internal combustionmotor (which for conveniencemay be termed the generating motor) wherebythe pressure produced from the heat of combustion is utilized, in thefirst place to effect the introduction, under pressure, of the gaseousproducts of combustion into the reservoir already mentioned, andsecondly, to simultaneously actuate air-compressing apparatus immersedin said reservoir and serving to highly compress (into a container orcontainers preferably immersed in the same reservoir) air whichconstitutes the atmos- Y pheric constituent of the combustible mixture.

It has been proposed to mount an internal combustion engine and an aircompressor in such manner that the compressed air may be forced throughthe cylinder of the internal combustion engine and stored with theproducts of combustion in a reservoir, and it has also been proposed toarrange an internal combustion engine and an air compressor 1n areservoir adapted to contain the air compressed by said air compressor,some of the products of combustion passing intosald reservoir, and ithas further been tproposed to generate steam in a boiler by orcmg intosuch boiler the products of combustion of a fourstroke internalcombustion cylinder contained therein.

In the present apparatus the moving parts of the motor through whoseinstrumentality the pressure accumulated within the reservoir isconverted into useful work (and which for convenience may be termed theWorking motor) may be so connected (preferably mechanically) to themoving parts of the generating motor and of the air compressor, thatthese three instrumentalities are constrained to operate in unison withone another at predetermined relative velocities.

The fluid contents of the reservoir may consist of the gaseous productsof combustion either alone or together with air or other elastic fluid.Thus the reservoir may constitute a generator of steam produced by theaction, upon a body of water contained in the reservoir, of the heatfrom the motor immersed therein, the products of combustion fromthismotor being discharged into the water and mingling with the steamproduced therefrom. In the event however of steam not being employed,such excessive rise of temperature within the reservoir as would tend tocause injury to the apparatus, may be prevented by the introduction(either at will or under the control of an automatically acting device)of a suitable quantity of water.

The power developed by the generating motor is absorbed partly ineffecting the expulsion from the combustion chamber into the reservoir(and therefore against the pressure existing in the latter) of theproducts of combustion, and partly in simultaneously effecting thecompression of atmospheric air into the container or containers, so thatnone of the energy resulting from the combustion of the fuel is wasted.

The generating motor being immersed in the reservoir, all the heatdeveloped in or by the motor, whether resulting directly fromcombustion, or from internal friction, is absorbed by the fluid contentsof the reservoir and thus rendered available for conversion into motivepower. Similarly the working motor, if immersed'in the reservoir, isexposed to the temperature existing therein,'so that no loss of heat canoccur in connection with this second motor either by radiation or in thetransmission of the mo tive fluid from the reservoir to the motor. It ispreferred to also immerse the air compressor in the reservoir for a likereason. The introduction of the fuel is preferably effected underpressure.

The working motor may be a fluid-presratus embodyin sure engine of anyconvenient kind, as for example a turbine or a rotary or reciprocatingengine, the preferred arrangement comprising a series of generatingmotors, air com ressors, compressed air containers, and wor in motors inequal or equivalent numbers, a1 immersed in a single fluid-pressurereservoir and all having their pistons or other moving parts coupled orgeared to the same. shaft in such manner as to obviate the occurrence ofa dead point in the movement of any reciprocating part of the mechanismand insure the a paratus being self-starting at any oint in t erevolution of the shaft.

It W1 1 be obvious that the consumption of fuel may be very readiladjusted (either at will or by automatically acting means) to exactlymeet the demands 'of the working motor, so that while no loss need occurin consequence of power being enerated in excess of actual requirements,t e output of the working motor ma be varied with a flexibility notattainab e with an internal combustion engine pure and simple.

Figs. 1 and 1 of the accompanyin drawings show in vertical section fromont to back of a convenient arrangement of appathe present invention,the section being ta en along 'the main axis of one of theanechanicalunits (each comprising an internal combustion or generating ino- 'tor,an air compressor and compressed air container, and a working motor,with their various adjuncts) whereof a series may be comprised in thecomplete apparatus.

A is the reservoir (hereinafter, for convenience, called the boiler forthe elastic fluid which constitutes the ultimate source of motive power,and B, C and D the cylinders respectively of the enerating motor, aircompressor, and wor ing motor comprised in the sin le mechanical unitillustrated, the axes o the several cylinders being arranged inalinement with one another in a horizontal plane extending from front toback of the boiler A, while the axes of different units would bearranged side by side parallel to one another.

In each 0 linder B, C and D, a piston B*, (3* or D* its the case may be)is fitted to work; all these pistons, in the case of each unit, havingthe same length of stroke and being constrained to reciprocate in unisonwith one another. For this purpose the piston rods 6*, 0* and d* arecoupled to a single crank e on a crank shaft E mounted to rotate betweenthe cylinders B and C, the axis of the shaft intersecting at rightangles the axes of all the units. The piston rod [2* of the generatingmotor, and that 0* of the air compressor, are coupled directly to thecrank e, from opposite sides of the latter, by the connecting rods F E,which are jointed to the respective piston rods at 7, f while the pistonrod d*forms a rigid conprevent the occurrence of a dead point in the Yrevolution of the crank shaft E.

7 The interiors of all the cylinders, excepting so far as hereafterotherwise stated, are completely shut olf from direct communication withthe interior of the boiler A, while the crank shaft E and connectingrods F F work in a casing F which forms a tunnel extending from end toend of the boiler.

G is a container for compressed air, mounted in the boiler A abovethecylinders B, C and D, these cylinders occupying the lower part of theboiler. Any convenient number of such containers or bottles may beemployed, it being understood that in the example illustrated one suchbottle is appropriated to each unit of the apparatus.

The boiler A is kept partially filled with 'water, what may be termedthe steam space vmotors. In the example illustrated, the cylinder D isshown as sin le-acting, the working stroke of the piston being fromright to left, while the left or inoperative side of the piston is inconstant communication with the external atmosphere through an apertureas at d in the corresponding end of the cylinder. The air compressorcylinder C is also single-acting, the suction stroke of the piston 0*being from right to left, during which air is drawn into the cylinderfrom the external atmosphere through the springclosed non-return suctionvalve 0 1n the right-hand end of the cylinder. During the compressionstroke from left to right, the air thus inhaled is compressed within thecylinder until, on the pressure rising above that in the bottle G plusthat exerted by the spring whereby the non-return delivery valve 0 isnormally held closed, this valve opens automatically and allows thecompressed air to pass through the passage 9 into. the bottle.

The left or inoperative side of the piston (3* is in constantcommunication with the external atmosphere throu h a passage 0 in thecorresponding end of the cylinder 0; this passage, the outer side of thesuction valve 0, and the aperture 41 in the cylinder D as at k, thespindle k of the valve (which is preferably arranged in axial alinementwith the cylinder B as shown) passing outward through a stutfing box andbeing positively actuated to open thevalve K at the proper times bymeans of cam mechanism (not shown) driven from the shaft E. When thevalve K is open, communication is established between the interior ofthe cylinder B and a chamber L which is constantly supplied withcompressed air from the bottle or container G through a pipe Z underinitial control of a stop valve P. The fuel, whether gas,oil, spray orvapor, or other combustible, is also supplied under pressure by anysuitable means (not shown), the admixture of fuel with this compressedair being effected at any convenient point before the charge passesthrough the valve K into the cylinder, according to the nature of thefuel employed.

If desired, the supply of fuel may be governed automatically inaccordance with variations of pressure in the boiler A.

M indicates an electrical sparking plug, situated atthe outer end of apassage m which communicates with the rear end of the cylinder B andthus constitutes in effect an explosion chamber.

The generatingvmotor works on a twophase cycle, the piston B* making itsworking stroke toward the right in the drawmg. 'The exhaust valveis'mounted in thepiston, and closes in the same direction as that inwhich the piston travels in performing its working stroke, so that thevalve remains closed (under the pressure developed in consequence of theexplosion) during the working stroke until a tappet N connected with thevalve, by encountering the forward end of the cylinder B toward the endof said stroke, causes the exhaust valve to 0 en against the pressurewhereby, up to t at moment, it had been held closed. The pressure at theleft or explosion side of the pis- 7 ton is thus permitted to pass tothe right side thereof, the exhaust valve remaining open during the"return or exhaust stroke of the piston in consequence of the pressure ofa spring n reinforced ,by the pressure of the elastic fluid at the rightside of the piston. On the piston reaching the end of this return strokethe exhaust valve is closed by encountering the left or rear end of thecylinder. At the commencement of the next or working stroke of thepiston B*, the valve K is opened to admit the combustible charge which,being under pressure, serves (prior to ignition) to start the stroke ofthe piston; ignition taking place immediately on the valve K beingclosed at the oint of cut off, so that the remainder of tie workingstroke is performed under the increased,

pressure due to combustion.

The space within the cylinder B to the right of the piston 13*constitutes an intermediate chamber for the reception of the.

products of combustion exhausted into it as described. These productsare, at each working stroke of the piston, expelled from -this spaceinto the interior of the boiler A through anon-return delivery valve 0which normally closes an aperture in the top of the cylinder, themovements of the valve bein utilized to agitate a series of perforateconical battles 0 through which the products of combustion pass from thecylinder B to the Valve 0 so that any unconsumed oil or othernon-gaseous matters, deposited by the products of combustion on thebaffles, will be shaken from the latter and will fall to the bottom ofthe cylinder, B, whence they may be withdrawn at intervals through ablowoff pipe 39 and valve P at the front of the boiler.

It will be observed that air will be compressed in the cylinderC andexpelled thence into the container or bottle G at each working stroke ofthe generating motor, while owing to the relative angular relation ofthe cranks e, appertaining to the respective units comprised within thecomplete apparatus, the power developed during the explosion stroke ofthe piston B* in one unit will serve to also expel the products ofcombustion from, or to compress the charge in, the cylinder B of anotherunit, and so on, continuity and smoothness of working being thusinsured, At the commencement of the operations, the pressure stored inthe container G will render the apparatus selfstarting, and it is to benoted that before the apparatus is used in the first instance, it willbe necessary to charge the container G with compressed air.

The crank-shaft E, which may be provided with a fly-wheel serves totransmit the power developed in the working cylinder D of each unit to'apoint outside the boiler A, where it may be employed to perform usefulwork.

Claims:

1. Liquid fuel burning apparatus for the production of heat forgenerating steam, comprising the combination of a reservoir, an internalcombustion motor, means driven by said internal combustion motor, forcompressing atmospheric air, a container adapted to receive aircompressed by said air compressing means, said internal combustionmotor, said air compressing means, and

'said container being immersed in said restion engine, said meanscomprising an inlet to said internal combustion engine and a pipeconnecting said container to said inlet, substantially as described. I

2. Liquid fuel burning apparatus for the production of heat forgenerating steam, comprising the combination of a reservoir, an internalcombustion motor having a combustion chamber immersed in said reservoir,and means whereby the exhaust gases of said internal combustion motorare passed through and in contact with the water in said reservoir, saidmeans consisting in a pipe connecting the combustion chamber of saidinternal combustion motor to said reservoir, substantially as described.

3. Liquid fuel burning apparatus for the production of heat forgenerating steam, comprising the combination of a reservoir, an internalcombustion motor having a com- ?bustion chamber immersed in saidreservoir,

and means whereby the exhaust gases of said internal [combustion motorare passed through and in contact with the Water in said reservoir,,saidmeans consisting in a pipe connecting the combustion chamberof saidinternal combustion motor to said reservoir, and means for preventingthe water in said reservoir from escaping into said internal combustionmotor, said means con sisting in a non-return valve in said pipe,substantially as described.

4. Liquid fuel burning apparatus for the production of heat forgenerating steam, comprising the combination of a reservoir,

an internal combustion motor, means driven by said internal combustionmotor for compressing atmospheric air, a container adapted to receiveair compressed by said aircompressing means, said internal combustionmotor, said air-compressing means, and said container being immersed insaid reservoir, an inlet to said internal combustion engine and a pipeconnecting said container to said inlet, and a pipe connecting thec0mbustion chamber of said internal combustion motor to said reservoir,substantially as d'ean internal combustion motor, means driven by saidinternal combustion motor for compresslng atmospherlc alr, 'a contalneradapted to recelve air compressed by sald a1r-comressin means saidinternal combustion motor, said air-compressing means, and saidcontainer being immersed in said reservoir, an inlet to said internalcombustion engine; a pipe connecting said container to said inlet; apipe connecting the combustion chamber of said internal combustion motorto said reservoir, and means for preventing the water in said reservoirfrom escaping into said internal combustion motor, said means consistingin a non-return valve in said pipe, substantially as described.

- JEAN MOLAS.

' Witnesses:

GEORGE ERNEST MINTERN, WILLIAM G. E. DAVIES.

